


More Than An Embarrassment

by Dreamelilly018



Series: The Owl House “Reality AU” [1]
Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: Adult bullying a child, Alternate Universe, Dishonor, Eda Clawthorne is Luz Noceda's Parent, Found Family, Good Parent Eda Clawthorne, Mother by choice, Shame, Younger Eda Clawthorne - Freeform, embrassment, family by choice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:15:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27167119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamelilly018/pseuds/Dreamelilly018
Summary: Luz begins to doubt her importance to Eda and thinks she is an embarrassment after a surprise visit from a stranger.
Relationships: Eda Clawthorne & Luz Noceda, Luz Noceda & Gus Porter, Luz Noceda & Willow Park, Luz Noceda & Willow Park & Gus Porter
Series: The Owl House “Reality AU” [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1983019
Comments: 14
Kudos: 113





	1. Chapter One

When Luz Noceda comes bursting into her life, Eda Clawthorne thought nothing of it. It would only be six weeks and knew nothing would change. But when Luz Noceda came trailing back to her after The Emperor Coven incident , Eda Clawthorne knew that until the unknown future her life would be changed and she had to make a huge adjustment. To be seen as a single mother at seventeen to someone just a few years younger than her and Poison Business failing, it was the love of Luz and King that gave her enough determination to keep pushing.

King, while may not like showing it, was like an older brother to Luz. And Luz, a once distant child, had grown close and become a personified ray of sunshine. A ray of sunshine that had latched on to Eda like she was the second coming..

“Mother and Father can say what they want, Lilith. They know where I left and have never come to check up on me after me almost dying.” Eda was crouched down beside the distant road just to the far side of Bones burrow. Beside her was a basket filled with some wild edibles, she prayed didn’t affect Luz negatively or make her sick enough to need a Healer. With most of her snails going to rent, she barely had enough to cover the monthly payment for Luz to have lunch at school. “If they truly cared, they would have stopped by to be properly introduced to Luz and check up on me, their youngest daughter.”

“Mother and Father are embarrassed by you, Edalyn. They would be willing to accept that you dropped out of school, took in a weak demon and a human. But, our parents cannot accept that you have proclaimed yourself to be guardian of the human and living in poverty because your selfish ways.” Her elder sister, Lilith Clawthorne, sat on her pristine white staff, grimacing at the odor and appearance of her little sister. She was a far cry from the misbehaving and bouncing teen just a few years ago. Now, she was thin, sickly, and scavenging for wild edibles for a few extra bites during a meal.

“I have been always in an embarrassment in Mother’s and Father’s eyes when I could never meet to their strict standards for my grades! And if they think of parenting a child who just sealed her way back to her only family, they can stick it up their ass and crap it out the other end.” Eda smiled victoriously when she found a small clump of Eldercherry leaves. While they couldn’t be eaten, they made good for teas and helped with the constant fevers that Luz had been developing the past few weeks and a good replace in Willow Pain Reliever Potion that she could no longer afford to buy regular like when she first came to live under her roof. “Tell them if they really worry about me, they could who knows, maybe help me like they did with Josephine and you, when you first moved out or in times of struggle.”

“Josephine and I finished school,” Lilith grumbled. “And have a reliable job unlike you.”

Eda, talon like fingers digging into the soft earth, almost cursed as she saw the wild edibles were being broken with her attention being half on her task. Throwing the still salvable halves into her basket, she sighed, shoulders slumping. The argument of the difference between her and her sisters’ had been old as time themselves. Though, in the past it had been about her grades and her misbehavior. Now, with Luz in her life, the conversation had been turn onto the embarrassment she was for raising a human and how it was staining the Clawthorne reputation. But still, much to her annoyance, it was all the same, never ending bickering.

“Sister, I would have to say that I agree. Although she may show potential of magical proficiency, she is still human and considered a pet by many.” Lilith moved over to her sister, placing a hand on her mud encrusted fingers. With a quick flick of her hand and a blue circle, the last few wild edibles in sight were plucked from the ground and placed in her basket. Taking a step back and allowing her little sister room, she met her gray-golden eyed gaze. “You don’t know how you are getting yourself into when it comes time for the family reunion in a few weeks, Edalyn. Do you truly want to put your pet through the whispers and the stares like you experienced because Father was unfaithful just one time to create you with another women?”

“Wait, right there, Lilith!” Eda gripped tightly onto the basket before marking up the steep embankment to meet her older sister eye to eye. “What Father did was terrible and insolent but don’t you dare compare his selfish misdeed to what I am doing with Luz! Luz is her own person and doesn’t have a soiled past like Father does. She is an innocent ten-year-old little girl and deserve nothing of what you are comparing her two.” Sidestepping her, she prepared to head back to where she had stored her staff so she could go to the booths that were handing out a few loaves of dry and out of date bead to go with the wild edibles she had gathered for the evening meals the next few nights. "You can say all you want about me but don't put her as the same level as Father's misdeed, got it?"

“While I know we should speak out mind to speak ill to the Covenness but Eda is correct.” Mr. Parker-John stopped to the side of the bickering sister pair, his husband coming to a stop beside him. “It does nothing but harm to compare a child to the misdeeds of someone else when they have done nothing to even tarnish the reputation of the family.”

Eda pinched the bridge of her nose, realizing that it would do any good to make the trek to the other side of Bonesbrough today when all she was going to get were people arguing around her. Strapping the lid onto the basket, she put it onto her back and turned to the Parker-John’s parents. “Are on the way to pick up, Willow from my house?” she asked, brushing a strand of her messy hair behind her hair. “She mentioned something about you guys coming over but didn’t really hear what for before leaving.”

“Actually, we wanted to give this to you.” The younger Mr. John-Parker revealed a large basket from where he stood. “Willow was telling us how Luz wasn’t getting much to eat and how Blood beets were affecting her so we cleared some food items from our pantry and fridge for you. We hoped that we haven’t overstepped any boundaries but I thought it would help you until your business began to pick up again.”

Eda blinked in shock but gave an accepting nod. “Thank you,” she said, taking the box from them. “You haven’t stepped over any boundaries and lifted some weight off my shoulders.” Bidding them good bye, she turned to her older sister. “Lilith, tell Mother and Father, if they truly want to do any good, they can come to speak to me and meet their new granddaughter, if they truly care.”

With one final nod to Mr. Joh-Parkers, she turned around and began the walk to where she had stored her staff.


	2. Chapter Two

Luz had just settled down on the dining room table with Willow and Gus after five hour long study session for their noon break when there was a knock at the door of The Owl House. Excusing herself from the table and promising to return soon, she answered the door, stopping when an unfamiliar figure greeted her in response. Hiding partly behind the door, the Hispanic preteen felt like her skin was crawling as the figure, a woman in her late sixties, loomed over her, beady golden eyes scrutinizing every detail about the human child. “May I help you?” she squeaked, clammy fingers digging painfully into the rough material of her jeans. “I mean, is there anyone you looking for Ma’m?” Luz corrected herself, remembering the manners her Mamai had taught her from a young age.

“Are you the human?” The woman spoke in a gravelly voice as if she was speaking to a misbehaving child. “The human that goes by Luz Noceda and is under the care and protection of Edalyn Clawthorne, also known as The Owl Lady?”

Small, chubby fingers grasping onto the cold metal of the door handle, Luz gave a mute nod, trembling faintly. This woman, while appearing harmless and dressed like a funeral conductor, made the ten-year-old’s blood chill and stomach curdle painfully. “That is me,” she said, finally finding her voice. “I am Luz Noceda, the human you are seeking. I am sorry for sounding rude, Ma’am. But I never did catch your name. May I ask what it is?”

“No you cannot, little lady!” Bony fingers wrapping around her waist, the woman stared her down, beady golden eyes pools of disgust. “A creature like you will never have the pleasure of hearing my name. Instead, you have brought the dishonor of your presence of someone who was formerly under my care.”

“Wha-?” Luz nearly tumbled backwards onto the tile floor a creature, a black raven with fiery red eyes, dove for her. It had been the quick action of Hooty stretching out in front of her that she hadn’t been hurt. “What was that for? You could have inured me!”

“That is exactly what I was trying to do,” the woman said, holding her arm out for the raven to settle on. “If I could achieve some retribution for the abysmal damage you have done to Eda’s reputation, it would lesson my anger for you!” She took a step forward, golden eyes staring into the child’s own frighten ones. “It was the act of taking you in that caused your little mentor to grow distant to her family and brought shame and dishonor to the Clawthorne family name for merely existing in her life!”

Feeling the burning of upcoming tears, Luz backed up, preparing to scream and flee. However, she had barely made it a few steps before the woman, getting blocked by Hooty was ushered backwards, kicking and screaming. “You will leave Luz alone, Hoot,” he ordered. “Go back to your friends, Hoot.”

“Thank you, Hooty,” she said, wiping the tears from her eyes and taking a few calming breathes as the two bickering voices from the other side of the door dove at her like knives on her skin.

“Luz?” Willow approached her, pulling her back to the present. “Is everything okay? Did something happen with the person at the door?”

Spinning around to meet her friend’s concerned gaze, Luz gave a quick shake of her head. “No,” she promised forcing a sickly smile on her face. “Nothing happened, Will. It was just a knock and ditch. But anyway, should we go back to finishing our afternoon meal and return to studying for a few more hours.”

“Sure.” Willow looked hesitant before heading with Luz back to the kitchen where Gus was still waiting. “Gus and I are almost done but can wait until you’re done eating before going back to studying.”

“That will be fine,” she said, getting her own pitiful lunch from where she had left it. “I don’t have much besides a few pieces of jerky blood beets and a small glass of water.” Settling down in her place between her two friends, Luz opened her meal and began to eat, forcing herself not to gag at the bitter taste of the blood beets.

Sitting there and eating her lunch in silence, Luz couldn’t help but let her mind wander back to the women’s accusation. While she had knew it was nothing but a lie, it stung and made her worry of how much was true.

Was she a stain and embarrassment for her maternal figure’s reputation and familial name?


	3. Chapter Three

“Wow, where did you get the Pecos to get all this food, Eda?” Ten-year-old Luz Noceda held up a jar of pickled cherries, hazel-brown eyes glowing with joy. It had been six weeks since they had a proper meal and looking at all the food in front of her made her almost bounce in delight. “I thought you said that money would be tight this month?”

The Owl Lady, standing in front of the roaring woodstove, glanced from where she was making emery root and garlic snap soup with a few crushed up eel eggs, salt, and pepper. While it wasn’t anything fancy, it would be large enough meal to feed them for a few days. “Let’s say we had a blessing bestowed upon us, Kid,” the seventeen-year-old answered, turning her attention back to where her grocery supply list lay on the counter. “Between the wild edibles we are able to gather and the new supplement, we will be covered for another two months if I follow my food plan to the very T.” Marking her place with a frayed ribbon, she glance at the ten-year-old. “Did you enjoy your visit with Augustus and Willow today?”

“Willow and Gus helped me finally catch up with all the homework I missed mover the past three weeks,” Luz explained, gently pawing at the jarred container of food. “B-b-but halfway through our noon break there was someone at the door. And…and they were saying weird stuff, Eda.”

The tremble in the preteen’s voice pierced Eda like a thorn, and suddenly she spun around, talon like fingers clutching onto her cooking utensil. “What did they say kid?” she asked, golden and grey eye seeing her nervous appearance. “Darling, if someone said something that is making you upset, I have to know what they said. If you don’t tell me, I can’t help make you feel better.”

Luz let her gaze move away from the jar and met her mentor’s gaze. “She said that I was tarnishing your reputation and keeping me after all the trouble I put you through is an embarrassment to the Clawthorne name,” she whispered hollowly.

The snapping of the wooden spoon made Luz bit the inner side of her cheek. It wasn’t hard to see how angry her mentor was and how the look of murder flashed across her eyes. The look of anger, not directed at her, glanced in the direction of the front door. “What did they look like?” she asked in a soft, deadly voice. “What did the person look like, Kid?”

“They were a little bit taller than you with pale skin, paler than yours, and narrowed, gold eyes,” recited Luz, pulling the person from her memories to her forefront. “The person wore weird clothes, even for Boiling Iles, which seemed like she was going to a funeral. There was a jagged scar over one of her eyes, making it a foggy gold.”

“Agatha,” Eda growled, duo-colored eyes narrowing. “It had to be her.”

“Who is that?” exclaimed Luz, breathless. “Is she family member or something?”

“She’s my former nanny,” replied the cursed witch. “Once I dropped out of school, which you will never do, and decided to move out of my parents’ place, she retired as a nanny and helped my mother with her socializing.”

“Why would she come here for?” Luz questioned. The answers and the unexpected visit, someone that Eda had seen in four years, from the woman was more confusion for the preteen. “Or most importantly how does she know where you live?”

Eda sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “She is very big on bringing honor and power to the Clawthorne family name,” she answered. “And with me adopting you did. I...” She squeezed her eyes shut. “To some, taking you on as my mentor and raising you after what happened with the portal, would be seem as bringing shame to the family name and make me lower than the beggars on the streets.”

“Was it a bad choice for me staying here?” Luz whispered in a softly, voice cracking as she stared down at her hands. “Did I make a mistake, Eda?”

Banging her clenched fist down onto the table, Eda gave a hard shake of her head. Finally calming down, she stood up and drew Luz close to her. “No, Kiddo,” she answered, rubbing soothing circles on her back. “You have been nothing but a blessing to me and the others who have the great honor of meeting and interacting with you.”

Eyes burning in the corners of her eyes, Luz was silent.

Smiling, Eda went on. “No matter what my parents, older sisters, for former nanny thinks, I wouldn’t trade the past three and half months for anything in the world,” the Owl Lady assured the sniffling child. “You have given me the strength to keep fighting against my curse and a light that ignited my flame once ore.”

“But I am causing you to be otrichsed by your own family!” Luz found herself parroting the same words that Agatha, Eda’s former nanny, had yelled at her. “How can I be a blessing that brings honor when I cause such horrible problems?”

A brief sad look clouded Eda’s eyes before it was gone. “The others should be ashamed,” she shot back gently. “They have their head too far up their asses to realize in what they are missing.”

Luz fell silent before whispering, “So I’m not an embarrassment that just tarnished your reputation or a burden that you only care for out of necessity rather than caring for me because you want to?”

Eda almost flinched. While it stung to hear Luz to talk down to herself, the Owl Lady knew she had some truth to her words. At first, during the early weeks, she had taken care of the wild as she was her apprentice but as the days turned into weeks than into the first month, she did it out of care and the love she had started to feel. “I cannot lie and say at first I saw more as a burden...” She raised a hand as Luz let out a muffled whimper that slowly degrading into a whine. “But it was very quickly that I saw you as part of my small family and cared deeply for you as I do now.”

Burying her face into the collarbone of her maternal figure, Luz let out a weeping sob. “I-I-I love you Eda,” she bawled, arms wrapping around her neck in a tight embrace. “I love you very much! Thank you for taking me as your apprentice and giving me a chance!”

“Hey now! Dry your eyes and take a deep breath kid before you pass out,” warned Eda, patting the top of her head tenderly as her former nanny had used to do to her. “There will be none of this now. You have no reason to be crying, Luz. Now, quit your crying and warm the world with your broad smile.”

“Mami always did say that my smile could even melt the heart of the coldest person,” she remarked as she used the sleeve of her tight human realm outfit before the ten-year-old greeted her mentor with a watery smile. “So I guess to prove the cold hearts of her family wrong, I just need to keep my head up and be proud of how far we have come since we first met?”

“See, I always knew you were a brilliant little bean,” she said, rubbing the tear tracks off of her flushed cheeks. “Now, with that done, how about we start setting the table for supper? It’s a school night and after the exciting day that we both have had, I think retiring early tonight would benefit us both.”

“Aww but Eda,” groaned Luz with mock annoyance as she gave a characteristic pout and giving her maternal figure her best puppy dog eyes. “Can’t we stay up and read The Magnus Guide tonight instead of going to bed when it is still light out?”

“You are still a growing girl,” Eda chided as she detangled herself from the grasp of the preteen “And if I remember correctly, after reading all those parenting books, both from the human and demon realm, that growing children need at least ten hours of sleep a night. And with what has been going on the past few weeks, you have barely been getting four to five hours at most.”

“When did you start reading parenting books?”

“Once I realized that I know nothing about meeting the proper needs of another life form,” chucked Eda playfully. “You’re my one and only chance of getting an apprentice and I wasn’t going to allow you to perish while under my care, darling.”

Luz was partially confused. Then she suddenly recalled that a witch needed to complete their second training and several years of work experience before even being considered to be a mentor. So truly, it was the truth for Eda, someone who dropped out of primary training at thirteen, she was her only chance of training someone as her apprentice.

“And after the first few days, when you got really sick with the flu, I realized I didn’t know a thing of caring for someone besides a random creature or King,” continued Eda. “So I gathered all the parenting books I could get my claws on. That was when I started creating a better, more cemented routine and being more active role with being your mentor after reading how youth better grew when praised and a positive environment. While we maybe have some bumps and hurdles, I think that I have been doing pretty well. In the short three months and some days, you have grown up so much, Luz. I am proud of you and cannot wait to see what you are going to do one day. You and your friends are going to do something big and I will be there every step to support you three.”

Luz’s head spun. For the first time, since the first year of preschool, she had someone who saw her more than a problem child or someone who had their head in the clouds. It was Eda, the person who she destroyed the only connection to her Mamai for, who truly believed that she was going to be more than some store clerk or wasted potential with her naivety.

The arrival of King interrupted her thoughts. “What smells so good?” The small demon raised his snout and sniffed the air. “Did you actually catch something in those worthless traps of you, Eda, for the first time?” King moved over to the wooden stove, hopping onto the counter to peer into the caldron when he noticed the two pairs of misty eyes. “Did something happen?” the small demon demanded, rounding to get a better look at them. “Did something say something to you? Do I need to go all evil overlord on them?? He held his small paws up, pretending to punch his enemies in the air. “Just give me their names and I will make them pay!”

Eda looked at her apprentice for a long moment before shaking her head. “Nothing to worry about, King,” she told him. “Just talking to Luz. But since you are here, help the kid set the table. It will be time to eat soon.”

The Owl Lady gave one more pat on Luz’s head before going over to the stove, stirring it with a new wooden spoon so it wouldn’t burn. Once it was done, she settled with King to one side of her and Luz on the other. While the portions were small and the candlelight fading, Eda knew she wouldn’t change anything if she had a choice. As when Luz Noceda came bursting into her life, she had changed it for the better and made more of an impact that she might have never realized until now.

“Thank you for coming into my life kiddo,” she said later that night once she tucked her apprentice into her bedroll. Tucking the faded, tattered blanket from her youth around her, she brushed strand of her apprentice’s brown hair out of her face, couching down beside her. “And now do you remember who you are, darling?”

“I am a blessing,” she began, eyelids drooping and voice getting interrupted by yawns. “And have honor…” Curling up beneath the blanket, she drew her threadbare childhood toy, a stuffed dog, to her chest. “And not an embarrassment...”

Pressing a delicate kiss to her forehead, Eda paused to blow out the candles dotting around the musty attic and closed the door, leaving it open to allow some light incase Luz woke up to a nightmare later on. Once she was assured she was safe, the Owl Lady went to her own bedroom and settled into her chest. With her eyes fluttering close, she swore that there was something big in the near future involving Luz and herself. But, with a low grunt, she dismissed it and let sleep claim her.


End file.
